Another train!

A rather longer journey and earlier start today. As I’m travelling to Cork and have a morning appointment. My train is at 8:00.

No time for a ‘Spoons breakfast today. Instead, I pick up a coffee and a sandwich in the station to eat on the train.

The train is busier than the one I took yesterday. Though no-one is standing. And there are a few empty seats. The journey is much longer today, around 2 hours and 40 minutes. Which isn’t too bad for 250 km.

The approach to Cork Kent station is a bit unusual. After emerging from a long tunnel, there’s a sharp right turn and there you are.

I jump in a taxi and rumble through the centre of Cork, heading for University College. Once there, the Boole library is easy to find. It’s a pretty typical brutalist concrete lump. Just like the ones in Leeds University.

It’s slightly weird walking around a university campus with all these young people milling around. It fair takes me back to the days of my youth.

I’m headed down to the basement, where the archiyey things happen. Everything is ready for me. They pass me the books one at a time.

The first couple, which are pretty old and scribbly, are quite short. It only takes a few minutes to photograph all the pages. Not exactly sure what’s in them, as they’re hard to read. I did see the words “India” and “Pale Ale”. I’ll be giving them a closer look, when I have some time.

It was great fun working out which volumes I wanted to consult. As the brewing and fermentation records are in different books. And not always described properly in the catalogue. Meaning I had to order matching books. It makes things far more complicated.

Receiving the brewing book first, I also have to remember which dates I photograph, so I can also snap the matching fermentation records. Luckily, Murphy only brewed a couple of different beers. And regularly. By photographing all of January and half of October, I’m sure of getting multiple examples of all their beers.

It’s a lot of work. And I’m not sure I’ve got it all right. Luckily, I plan another visit. Simply because I’ve only been able to get through maybe half of the documents I want to consult.

A student group enters the research room. It seems that they're doing some archive study. Luckily, I find it easy to zone out and they don’t disturb me at all. After a while of snapping, I just go onto autopilot. Working away without really thinking about it.

At the end of four hours, I’m knacked and through everything. At least, through all the documents I’ve ordered. And there’s still time for a pint.

On my way in, I noticed a pub just opposite the station. That’ll do. And I’ll be just a couple of minutes away from my train.

It doesn’t look that promising from the outside. Inside, it’s rather bland and modern. With only a couple of customers.

They have the full set of industrial Stouts: Guinness, Murphy’s and Beamish. As I haven’t seen it for ages, I get the last.

It looks the part. But there’s something a bit weird about the flavour. Is it old? Are the lines dirty? Not sure. But something’s not right. I mange to force it down, without any pleasure. Not going to waste it, however bad it might taste.

I get myself a sandwich and Taytos for the train journey. It’s quite busy, without being totally packed. We trundle along at a decent pace. Through a sea of green fields and grey skies. Rain occasionally lashes the windows.

It’s 20:00 when we get back to Heuston station. After a short cab ride, I’m back at my hotel. Pausing only to nip into Tesco for some more scran. And the bar to get a pint for my room.

The Brehon Oatmeal Stout has finished. I get a pint of Old Peculier instead. It’s not bad.

Whisky has me tumbling down the slumber hill.



Station View Tavern
87 Lower Glanmire Rd,
Montenotte,
Cork,
T23 A265.